NAFFAC,ANLCA Seek FG’s Intervention To Increase Practitioners Representation In CRFFN Governing Council

Freight forwarders and licensed customs agents have advised the federal government to increase the number of practitioners in the governing council members of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), saying the council failed to perform optimally , because of the high number inclusion of unprofessional.

The freight forwarders under he aegis of National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators(NAFFAC) and Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) respectively, frowned at the low number of professional freight forwaders in the governing council noting that CRFFN was yet to performed as expected in furtherance to ensure a hitch free cargo movement in logistics and supply chain business  in addition to requisite training of practitioners.

Presently, a total of fifteen freight forwarders are elected in the governing council of CRFFN, a situation the  practitioners feel has affected it’s snail progression in the sub sector of the maritime industry.

According to the two foremost associations in freight forwarding practice ,other professional institutions , like Council for Registered Engineers COREN and Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)have core practitioners as governing board members thus with the right policies devoid of quackery.

President General of NAFFAC, Prince Bakare Adeyinka in a chat while speaking with our correspondent in Lagos recently, maintained that it was wrong for the Federal Ministry of Transportation to have six representatives in  the Council’s board, with additional six from each of the geopolitical zones.

The NAFFAC boss reiterated that CRFFN has underperformed since its establishment because of the poor representatives from freight forwarding practitioners in the governing couy , adding that freight agents remain the engine room to professional practices in cargo clearance from the ports .

He lamented that the non professional in the council always influence decision making and decision taking during critical situation in policies formulations.

He also decried that six persons from the educational sub sector are also represented in CRFFN governing council which according to him are all non professional in line with operational activities of the core business.

Bakare stated that the high number of non professional had made matter worst in the council stressing that the CRFFN as at today, belong to non – practitioners.

Apparently dissatisfied, Bakare called on the government to reduce the representatives of the non professional saying, that the number of freight forwarders should be higher in other to allow them brainstorm on the issues and proffer solutions on how to address the bottlenecks affecting the profession.

He clamoured for the accredited associations to be fully represented in the governing board of CRFFN, calling on leaders of various freight forwarding groups to speak with one voice and take their rightful position in Council.

The NAFFAC boss affirmed that the council solely belong to practitioners and not lectures from higher institutions and academy , or government representatives that are involved in policy formations and formulations.

He said:” We have some leaders who are looking at themselves and their business grow instead of the profession to grow.

“We need to occupy our space in this freight forwarding practice.”

Similarly, Acting President ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Collins Farinto maintained that practitioners need to be protected and the council has not helped in anyway due to the poor representatives of freight forwarders in the board.

Farinto lamented that the council has been hijacked by the federal government through political appointees;  which has made the CRFFN to be dormant noting that the council is treated like government agency.

He noted that”If we can only increase the number of practitioners in the board of CRFFN then we can have our way to the top in changing the narrative . ”